March brings us many things, including Spring and Daylight Saving Time. It may also bring a few Spring snowstorms…after all it is Colorado! Most of all, it is a very busy time for our marketing and development team as we progress toward the 2020 Gala on April 23rd at Empower Field at Mile High.
It is my hope that you will be as excited as we are about our speaker and emcee for the Gala. Read the story about Denver Bronco wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton and popular KOA Radio talk show host, Mandy Connell. Make sure you have saved the date and check out the link in this newsletter where you can register for the Gala and sponsorships.
See the story about Kristen Kaiser’s TJS Parent Support Group Forum that is tackling tough and confusing topics with and for parents of our students like why peer-to-peer parent groups are so important, dealing with the grief cycle, navigating the confusing and complex Medicaid system and more. We hope that all our parents will be able to take advantage of these meetings.
On the fundraising front, we had the most successful Colorado Gives Day ever in 2019, and our Volleyball4Charity partnership continues to bring us much needed funds.
Also, in this issue, we focus on one of the most important times of the year for us at The Joshua School, Autism Awareness Month in April. It is preceded by March as Developmental Disabilities Month. Both serve as a time of year where special attention is given to autism and developmental disabilities presentations, fundraisers, and special opportunities to recognize people with developmental disabilities or who are on the autism spectrum.
While we are dedicated to this all year-round, these designated months allow us to emphasize that along with greater awareness comes appreciation and acceptance.
And we also promote acceptance and celebration of people with autism as family members, friends, co-workers, and community members making valuable contributions to our world. Autism is a natural variation of the human experience, and we can all create a world which values, includes, and celebrates all kinds of minds.
Ed Nichols